Jim Edmonds and Carlos Zambrano-Why Can’t We Be Friends? May 16, 2008
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Well, it is now official that Jim Edmonds is a member of the
Chicago Cubs. On Thursday, he started in Centerfield for the Cubs and
batted 6th in the lineup. One thing that may need to be settled is the
clubhouse relationship between Edmonds and Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano.
Back in 2004, Zambrano was ejected from a game for throwing at Edmonds.
When big ‘Z’ was asked about Edmonds joining the Cubs he replied with, "No
comment".
Edmonds expected to sign with the Cubs. May 13, 2008
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XM’s "Home Plate" reported today that former Gold Glove Award winner Jim Edmonds is expected to sign with the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. Edmonds will clear waivers tomorrow after being cut by the San Diego Padres. Jim has struggled so far this season batting only .178 with 1 home run and 6 RBI’s. Edmonds is expected to platoon in center-field with Reed Johnson and the move would send Felix Pie to AAA Iowa. XM reports that Edmonds is extremely excited about joining the Cubs and looks forward to getting back on the field.
Soriano back in the lineup May 2, 2008
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Chicago Cubs Left fielder, Alfonso Soriano, is finally off the disabled list. This video was recorded at the time of his placement. If his leg troubles continue, manager Lou Pinella may be forced to bat him somewhere other than lead off. Soriano has yet to live up to expectations since joining the Cubs last year. He has 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases potential, but with his leg problems the latter seems unlikely. The Cubs may be better moving him to fifth in the order and batting Fukudome second allowing SS Ryan Theriot to lead off.
Cuban One Step Closer To The Cubs May 1, 2008
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Mark Cuban was a man of very few words at last nights Chicago Cubs game against the Brewers. ESPN’s Erin Andrews tried to get the Maverick’s owner to open up, but Cuban made it known he was just there to watch the Cubs play. The fact that he sat in the seats owned by the Chicago Tribune has everyone trying to guess Cuban’s real intention for appearing at the game. Sam Zell has made it known that the Cubs financial books were going out to a select group of interested buyers around this time, which leaves many folks guessing at the true motive.
One things for sure. The Cubs routing of the Brewers 19-5 has to impress the future-possible owner.
The Bleacher Bums of Wrigley April 23, 2008
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Cincinnati Reds announcer, Marty Brennaman, recently blasted Cubs
fans during a game at Wrigley Field when the Reds were in town. As
many people may know, it is customary for Cubs fans to throw back a home run ball hit by the opposing team. The more experienced bleacher
bums at Wrigley will come to the game with a ‘dummy’ baseball in case
they do catch a homer and they will throw the ‘dummy’ ball back onto
the field and keep the official National League baseball. Brennaman
was upset when several fans threw balls onto the field after a home run
was blasted by Adam Dunn onto Sheffield Avenue. He called the fans
"obnoxious".
Later, Brennaman took another jab at Cubs
fans by saying that the St. Louis Cardinals had better fans. The Cubs
and Cardinals have a great rivalry and Brennaman was just adding fuel
to the fire.
Marty Brennaman has been with the Reds for over
three decades. Maybe he is still a little upset when Cubs fans
migrated to Cincinnati last fall and made it feel like a home game for
the Cubs. Actually, it was more like a home series because Cubs fans
filled the stands for the entire series. It’s never good to see the
opposing fans out number you on your own turf.
Regardless
if you love or hate the Cubs, their fans are die hard. If being a die hard fan makes someone "obnoxious" then it is what it is. Cubs baseball wouldn’t be the same without them.
Chicago Cubs Review March 10, 2008
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The Chicago Cubs are one of baseball’s most storied franchises. They
are currently still owned and operated by the Tribune Company which is
owned by Sam Zell.
BigLeagueChatter has been running a four part
series on the sale of the Cubs and the potential owners. Part 1 can be found here, and Part 2 here.
While no one
knows for certain who will end up buying the Cubs the payroll for the
team continues to increase as the north siders vie for their first
championship in a century. This season there is a lot of buzz surrounding the team…..and not
just about the sale of the franchise. During the off-season, the Cubs
landed RF Kosuke Fukudome from Japan. The left-handed hitting RF is
known for playing good defense, good average, decent power and decent
speed. The Cubs hope he will fill their needs in RF and as a
left-handed hitter. The trio of LF Alfonso Soriano, 1B Derek Lee and
3B Aramis Ramirez are the main guys for the Cubs. SS Ryan Theriot is
the team’s sparkplug while Mark DeRosa will start at 2B, but is capable
of playing just about anywhere on the field. Two youngsters look to
fill out the lineup. The Cubs are hoping that Felix Pie will be able
to hit major league pitching this season and roam CF at Wrigley Field
this summer. Behind the plate rookie C Geovany Soto will be the
starter. He impressed everyone with a fine September in 2007. The
bench may consist of the following players. 1B/RF Darryl Ward, 2B Mike
Fontenot, IF/OF Ronny Cedeno, LF/RF Matt Murton and OF Sam Fuld.
The Cubs pitching staff has seven guys competing for five starting
rotation spots and three guys trying to fill the closer’s role. The
starting rotation will be led by Carlos Zambrano. The Cubs need for
the talented Zambrano to be consistent this year and avoid any swoons.
He will be followed in the rotation by two lefties. Ted Lilly and
Rich Hill. Lilly had a good season in 2007 after coming over from the
American League. Rich Hill continues to improve and will be a solid
number three man in this rotation. The final two slots will be filled
by two of the following four pitchers….Jon Lieber, Jason Marquis,
Sean Marshall and Ryan Dempster. The bullpen looks to be strong with
Howry, Wood and Marmol. If Wood proves he is capable of pitching on
consecutive days, the Cubs will use him as their closer. If not, Howry
or Marmol may fill the role until he is ready.
The Cubs took two months before they started winning consistently last
season. This year, manager Lou Pinella, looks to have them start
strong from the first game of the season. The Friendly Confines has a
good chance of hosting games in October this year. But the Cubs do
have history going against them.
Alfonso Soriano Finger Fracture March 4, 2008
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Alfonso Soriano, the Chicago Cubs’ LF, suffered a fracture to the tip
of his right middle finger early Sunday morning while practicing
catching fly balls in the outfield. The injury occurred while Soriano
was attempting to make a two-handed catch. The slugging outfielder may
miss up to a week due to the injury and swelling to the finger.
The Future of the Cubbies-Part 2 of 4 Top Ten Buyer Candidates March 2, 2008
Posted by misterbaseball in Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners.2 comments
If Sam Zell follows through on this commitment to sell the Cubs, which is a 99% possibility at this point, how does that decision impact the Cubs, and their ability to win a World Series Championship?
There are many factors that go into who will acquire the Cubs. Primarily, it will come down to approval of three-fourths of MLB owners, and a sign off by Bud Selig. Except for the sale of his own Milwaukee Brewers in 2005, I doubt Selig has ever been more interested in a franchise sale. He quickly points out that it was in Wrigley Field in 1944 “I saw my first major league game, so I’ve been going there for 63 years.” Selig has also been quoted saying a local owner is preferred and that he will pay very strict attention to the sale. (Hal Brody, USA Today, 2007).
So here they are, Big League Chatter’s:
Top Ten Potential Buyers of the Chicago Cubs
Peter Angelos: Trial lawyer (http://www.angeloslaw.com) and the current owner of the Baltimore
Orioles. He led a group of investors that purchased the team in 1993 for $173 million from Eli Jacobs. Reported as recently engaged in prolonged discussions with Cal Ripken, Jr. about selling the Orioles to the former shortstop and other financial backers.
Notes: 15 years of MLB ownership experience, but going into the 2008 season, the Orioles have had ten consecutive sub-.500 seasons.
Bill Murray: Award winning actor. Gained national exposure on
Saturday Night Live, following that with roles in films such as Stripes, Groundhog Day, Space Jam, Caddyshack, Ghostbusters and Rushmore. Known as being the Cubs #1 fan.
Notes: Murray doesn’t appear to be a serious buyer for the Cubs. He has reportedly shrugged off the prospect of becoming a part owner of the team. Tribune Co. announced plans in April 2007 to sell the Cubs, and Murray said he has been approached about becoming part of a group that would make a bid. "I heard from a couple of people," he said, "but I’m not that organized." (USA Today, 2007).
Jerry Colangelo: Former majority owner of the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, the Phoenix Mercury
of the WNBA, the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Colangelo has been named the NBA’s Executive of the Year four times (1976, 1981, 1989, 1993).
Notes: Colangelo brought the Diamondbacks into existence and from 1998-2004, amassed a record of 575-559, with three first place finishes in the National League, and one World Series title against the Yankees in 2001.
Jeff Smulyan: Founder and Chairman of the Board of Emmis Communications Corporation, an
Indianapolis-based radio, TV and magazine publishing company with operations in 10 U.S. markets, as well as Hungary, Belgium, Bulgaria (Emmis.com, 2007). As principal shareholder, he led a group that purchased the Seattle Mariners baseball team in 1989, selling the club three years later. During that time, Smulyan served on the Major League Baseball owner’s Ownership and Television committees. (Wikipedia, 2007).
Notes: Under Smulyan ownership, Mariners were 233-253. Should fit Selig’s “local” criteria.
Andy McKenna: Chairman of McDonald’s Corporation. Mr. McKenna is also the Chairman of
Schwarz Supply Source. He is a director of Aon Corporation, Chicago Bears Football Club, Inc., McDonald’s Corporation and Skyline Corporation. He acted as Chairman of the Chicago White Sox during his group’s ownership of that organization from 1975-1981. He also served as Chairman of the Board of the Chicago Cubs, upon purchase of that entity by Tribune Company, from August 1981 through December of 1984. He also owns a portion of the Bears.
Notes: Former Cubs Chairman is "mentioned as capable of putting together an investor group," (Tribune 2007).
Ricketts Family: Joe Ricketts, was the founder and chairman of TD Ameritrade, the largest
online discount brokerage in the world, based in Omaha, Nebraska. In 2007, Ricketts and his family ranked #161, according to Forbes Magazine, of the 400 wealthiest americans, with a net worth of $2.6 billion. Though he grew up in Omaha, Tom Ricketts received a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from the University of Chicago and worked as a pit trader at the Chicago Board Options Exchange before forming Incapital with several partners. Tom’s younger sister Laura, who started a Web firm called Ecotravel.com, also lives in Chicago, as does younger brother Todd, who has worked in the financial-services industry. Pete Ricketts told a reporter during his Senate campaign that at one time he lived across the street from Wrigley Field and is a longtime Cubs fan (Wikipedia, 2007).
Notes: The Ricketts have apparently kept a low profile up to this point. It appears they recognize Selig’s "local" criteria and are pressing to emphasize Tom Ricketts’ ties to Chicago and the family’s interest in being long-term owners of the Cubs.
Tom Begel: Chairman and Principal of TMB Industries, a private investment firm formed by him in
1989, specializing in the acquisition and operation of industrial and manufacturing companies. He is Chairman of DynAmerica LLC and Grand Craft, Inc., as well as a Director of NutraMax, Inc., Weber Manufacturing and Miller Products. Mr. Begel was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Transportation Technologies, and Chairman of Fuel Systems LLC and Phillips & Temro LLC. In addition, he was Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Pullman Company until its acquisition in 1988 and was Senior Vice President of the Engineered Products Group of the Signal Companies, Inc., and Senior Vice President of Wheelabrator-Frye, Inc. from 1981 to 1983. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri at Columbia (TMBIndustries.com, 2007).
Notes: Begel has been reported as assembling a group of 15 investors to purchase the Cubs, of which include William Marovitz, a restaurant owner, and Ernie Banks, who has contacted John Canning Jr. as well for a possible partnership.
Mark Cuban: Entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks NBA basketball team. With an
estimated net worth of $2.6 billion, he was ranked 161st on the 2007 Forbes 400 list of richest Americans. Cuban has quite the portfolio of companies such as HDNet, Landmark Theaters and others ventures.
Notes: Cuban’s Mavericks have been to the playoff’s every year since his purchase in 2000, taking a loss to the Miami Heat in the finals of 2005-2006 season. The team has racked up an amazing 446 wins, compared to only 187 losses during Cuban’s tenure. That’s a winning percentage well over .700. “My goal has always been to make the league better, better as a business and better as a product for the fans.” (Portfolio.com, 2007). Speculation is that Cuban would not get approval from the three-quarter vote of current MLB owners. “The commissioner wants no renegades who will break ranks on labor matters or break the bank on player salaries” (John Helyar, ESPN.com, 2007).
Don Levin: Founded D.R.L. Enterprises in 1969, according to his biography on the Wolves’ web
site. The Chicago-based company has holdings in industries including tobacco processing, aircraft and medical-equipment leasing.
Notes: Levin is ready to buy the Cubs, He’s a local guy, fits the bill as a pro sports owner, and has been successful in business and with the minor-league Chicago Wolves hockey team. "I have been in contact with the people at Tribune and with bankers," Levin said after returning from a business trip to Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii. "I’m putting together the necessary things to bid on the team." Levin’s Wolves have won three championships since their inception in 1994, and he remains a passionate Cubs fan (Chicagotribune.com, 2007).
John Canning Jr.: CEO of Madison Dearborn Partners, (MDP) LLC, which specializes in
management buyout and special equity investing. MDP manages over $10 billion of committed capital and portfolio investments. Prior to founding MDP in 1993, Mr. Canning spent 24 years with First Chicago Corporation, most recently as Executive Vice President of The First National Bank of Chicago and President of First Chicago Venture Capital. He currently serves on the Boards of Directors of The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Economic Club of Chicago, Jefferson Smurfit Group plc, Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and Children’s Inner City Educational Fund. He also serves on the Boards of Trustees of the Big Shoulders Fund, The Chicago Community Trust, Dublin City University Educational Trust, The Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, and Northwestern University (Wikipedia, 2007).
Notes: Local Chicago native should get approval from Selig and MLB owners. Considered the favorite by John Helyar at ESPN.com. Gregory Meyer of ChicagoBusiness.com also favors Canning stating “Mr. Canning’s appears to have the upper hand, partly because of his track record as a part-owner of the Milwaukee Brewers and his friendship with Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig.”
So there they are. The top ten potential buyers of Chicago’s beloved Cubbies. While it’s apparent that many fans are rooting for Mark Cuban to buy the Cubs, as are most of the analysts here at Big League Chatter, John Canning Jr. appears to have everything in place to solidify a deal on the Cubs.
Where’s Kenny Lofton Going? February 26, 2008
Posted by misterbaseball in Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers.add a comment
Kenny Lofton will turn 41 at the end of May this year and he has yet to sign with a team this off-season. The much traveled Lofton made his big league debut in 1991 with the Houston Astros. Since then, Lofton has played for the Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland again, Chicago Whitesox, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers and Cleveland one more time. Due to him changing teams so much the shipping company DHL did a commercial on him about always being on the move that aired constantly last year during the playoffs.
Kenny Lofton is a career .299 hitter and good at stealing bases. There are several teams that could use his services this season to make a push at the playoffs. The Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians and Seattle Mariners all seem like a good fit for the talented and aging Lofton. It could be that some of these teams are waiting to see what happens at the start of spring training. The Cubs Felix Pie will get the opportunity to play CF at Wrigley this year before they consider going after anyone. The Mariners were hoping Adam Jones would be in the mix for their outfield but then they shipped Jones to Baltimore in the Erik Bedard trade. San Diego has Edmonds in CF, but Lofton is very capable of playing LF too. Atlanta hasn’t settled on their outfield yet either, except for Francouer. If Josh Anderson performs well in March he may be starting in April for the Braves. Finally, Cleveland could use Lofton, but look for their younger players like Ben Francisco, Franklin Gutierrez and Shin-Soo Choo to get a shot first.
The Future of the Cubbies-Part 1 of 4 February 23, 2008
Posted by misterbaseball in Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox.2 comments
The fact that the Cubs represent one of the most historic teams in baseball, makes the possible sale of the team and Wrigley field, even more distressing. The fans, the league, and the City of Chicago, all have a vested interest in this deal and the future of Cubs baseball.
Over the next several weeks, the analysts here at Big League Chatter will look into the myriad of possibilities that await the fifth richest team in baseball, and how Sam Zell can create a win-win-win situation for everyone involved.
The Fans
Since their World Series victories in 1907 and 1908, both times against Ty Cobb’s Detroit Tigers, the Cubs have come up empty in their quest for a championship. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Chicago Cubs fans are chomping at the bit considering the team has spent $100 million on a roster that contains Lee, Soriano, Zambrano, Ramirez, and Marquis just to name a few.
The question everyone is asking is what effect Sam Zell will have on the quest for a world series victory. If Zell sells the Cubs, as he is presently considering, the details of the deal will determine the fate of the team. With so many variables and possible outcomes, this will be analyzed in part 2 of this section. For now, the assumption will be made that Zell will keep the team through the 2008 season, and realize what a great investment he’s made.
Can the Chicago Cubs achieve the coveted World Series title under the direction of Sam Zell ownership? That would be a function of Zells’ leadership and experience.
Leadership: Sam Zell is a leader. Forget the fact that his personality is rough around the edges and he cusses like a sailor, this guy has been building his business portfolio since he was 25 years old and is now a billionare. That doesn’t happen by accident. He has been dubbed a visionary in the real estate investment trust industry, and until recently was the largest land owner in America. Zell owned more apartment communities and office space than anyone in the country. Forbes magazine rated his companies "one of the most admired in America." Apart from real estate, Zell has invested in everything from garbage recycling to communications and specialty wire companies.
It’s impossible to research Sam Zell and not come to the conclusion that he knows what he is doing.
Experience: Sam Zell has experience. He has never owned a sports team, aside from his small percentage in the White Sox which is non-controlling, but Sam is a business guy through and through and his ability to create value and make money is impressive. At a recent speech to some LA Times staff ,he made the point that he is not a newspaper guy, but he is a business guy. He is focused on serving the customer and providing them with the best product possible.
Sam Zell’s Bio
1963-BA University of Michigan
1966-JD University of Michigan Law School.
1968-Began investing in real estate
1969-Founded Equity Residential Properties: Largest owner of apartments and residential communities in America.
1976-Founded Equity Office Properties: Largest owner of office and retail space in America.
1986-Net worth of $200 million
1987-Bought Anixter International (AXE); Communications and specialty wire company.
1992-Bought Jacor Communications: Radio broadcast group that included a television station.
1993-Took Equity Residential REIT public (EQR)
1993-Took Equity Lifestyle REIT public (ELS)
1993-Took Equity Office Properties REIT public (EOP)
1997-Founded Capital Trust: A specialized real estate finance company.
1999-Founded Equity International: Company controls Gafisa, the leading homebuilder in Brazil; BR Malls, one of the largest shopping center owners and operators in Brazil; Homex, the fastest growing homebuilder in Mexico; and Xinyuan, a rapidly expanding homebuilding company in China.
2002-Bought American Commercial Lines (ACLI): Commercial Barge Manufacturing Company
2005-Bought Covanta (CVA): Waste to energy plant
2007-Received Kellogg Award for Distinguished Leadership from the Kellogg School of Management.
2007-Bought Chicago Tribune (TXA): Company owns the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field, LA Times, ComCast SportsNet and several other t.v., radio, and newspaper companies.
In short, Sam Zell is considered a pioneer, a visionary, a leader, and a pure genius when it comes to business. Zell has been criticized in the news for his decision to take on the high debt load of the Tribune, but the fact is that Zell has made his fortune because of his ability to analyze risk and manage substantial debt. The fact is that when Sam Zell talks, people listen.
Sam Zell is a win for Chicago Cubs baseball if he keeps ownership of the team. It doesn’t appear that he’s leaning in that direction, but if it happens, Cubs fans can rest assured that a World Series championship will happen.
